SouthernGospelBlog.com

Worth Reading:

• Wes Burke interviews Triumphant Quartet’s Scotty Inman.
• Adam Edwards enthusiastically agrees with my 5-star rating of the Song of a Lifetime DVD.
• David Bruce Murray discusses drum patterns in Praise Music and Southern Gospel.

Upcoming Reviews:

• April 3 – Decade (Legacy Five)
• April 10 – Story of a Lifetime (Dills)
• April 17 – Classic CD – Mountain Praise (Isaacs)
• April 24 – Classic CD – Love’s Sweet Story (Poet Voices)
• May 22 – Classic CD – Pilgrim Song (Poet Voices)

Consider the comments section to be an open thread. Discuss whatever Southern Gospel-related topics you have on your mind (within the grounds of propriety of course).

In the news

• Canaan Records is offering a free digital download of a complete sampler CD of tracks from Canaan artists. Visit http://www.canaanrecords.com/sampler/index.html and input your email address and the code “FREEGIFT”.
• The Gaither Homecoming Tour is scheduled to make an appearance in Dothan, Alabama on January 30. Impressively, according to this article, the event sold out all 2,800 seats in four hours’ time. (The article also says Bill Gaither is “known in Southern gospel circles as the king of the genre.” Interesting.)
• The court case resulting from the accident that killed Canadian Gospel singer Warren Parker of the Parker Trio has been resolved. The lawyer for the drunk driver that killed Parker and left the scene of the accident was able to get his client probation by persuading the jury that the driver was disoriented and “not coherent enough to register that someone had been killed.”

Also Worth Reading

• On a brighter note, check out Lauren Talley’s coverage of the Talley Trio / Booth Brothers joint concert tour in Norway.

Upcoming Reviews

• November 25: Classic CD – Live from the Alabama Theater (Karen Peck & New River)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 2: Southern Gospel’s 15 All-Time Favorites Vol. 2
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 9: Treasure (Janet Paschal)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 16: Hymns from Chigger Hill (Chigger Hill Boys & Terri)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 23: Hymns of the Faith (Hayes Family)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• December 30: The Gospel Sessions (Oak Ridge Boys)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)
• January 9: Classic CD – A Tribute to the Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither
• January 16: Pensacola Live (Dixie Echoes) – review of CD only for now
• January 23: Classic CD – With Feeling Live (McKameys)

In the News

A couple of stories I didn’t get to earlier this week:

• Ernie Haase & Signature Sound’s new project Dream On debuted at #3 on Billboard’s overall music video charts. (It’s at #6 this week.) It also reached #1 in Southern Gospel and #4 on the CCM charts.
• Wes and Andrea Hampton welcome boy #3, Carden Anderson Hampton.

Also Worth Reading

• Wes Burke’s latest “Hidden Gems” feature on “More Than Just a Swear Word.”
• Sue C. Smith notes that non-artist songwriters all too often get ignored in CD reviews. Good point, but hopefully a complaint that can’t be made about this site’s reviews.

Upcoming Reviews

• November 18: You Can Write a Song! workshop (Jeff Ferguson)
• November 21: DVD – Hymn Sing 1 and 2 (Liberty Quartet)
• Hovember 25: Classic CD – Live from the Alabama Theater (Karen Peck & New River)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 2: Southern Gospel’s 15 All-Time Favorites Vol. 2
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 9: Treasure (Janet Paschal)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 16: Hymns from Chigger Hill (Chigger Hill Boys & Terri)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 23: Hymns of the Faith (Hayes Family)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• December 30: The Gospel Sessions (Oak Ridge Boys)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)
• January 9: Classic CD – A Tribute to the Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither
• January 16: Pensacola Live (Dixie Echoes) – review of CD only for now
• January 23: Classic CD – With Feeling Live (McKameys)

As always, consider the comments section of the Saturday Roundup posts as an open thread. If you have something you want to discuss not related to the other posts this week (or next), post it here.

I’ve already covered most of the big stories for the week in the daily posts. The one I didn’t get to till now was that the Gaither organization has announced who will be filling in for Guy Penrod for the rest of the year (and thus confirming Guy is out for the rest of the year):

• November Dates – Jason Crabb
• 12/4 – Mark Lowry & David Phelps
• 12/5 – Mark Lowry
• 12/6 – Mark Lowry & David Phelps
• 12/7 – Reggie Smith
• 12/8 – David Phelps
• 12/11 – Mark Lowry & Jason Crabb
• 12/12 – Mark Lowry & Jason Crabb
• 12/13 – Mark Lowry

Upcoming CD reviews:

• November 11: A New Day (The Browns)
• November 14: DVD – Caribbean Live (Tribute Quartet)
• November 18: You Can Write a Song! workshop (Jeff Ferguson)
• November 21: DVD – Hymn Sing 1 and 2 (Liberty Quartet)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)

A couple more reviews are in the works, so I might be editing this schedule later today.

In the news:

• Crossroads announces the signing of the Beene Family to a multi-year contract. (Hat tip: Wes Burke.) Crossroads has been signing artists right and left – Voices Won, Cross 4 Crowns, Skyline Boys, Beene Family, and one or two others just in the past couple of months. It seems like forever since Daywind signed anyone.
• A Myrtle Beach newspaper interviews Bill Gaither on this weekend’s Gaither Fest.
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver is featured in the Greenville Online website.

Upcoming reviews:

• November 4: Until Now (Gerald Wolfe)
• November 7: Reminiscing (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 7: DVD – Live in Concert Kings Mountain, NC (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 11: A New Day (The Browns)
• November 14: DVD – Caribbean Live (Tribute Quartet)
• November 18: You Can Write a Song! workshop (Jeff Ferguson)
• November 21: DVD – Hymn Sing 1 and 2 (Liberty Quartet)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)

In the news:

• Tribute Quartet’s Josh Singletary started a monthly column for SGM Radio’s website.
• Cybergrass featured Fred Daniels, Sunshine Boys / Blue Ridge Quartet tenor and recent inductee into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame.
• The Quicks announced this week that group member Sally Quick’s mother Ann Abbott passed away this Monday at age 67. She was a friend of many Gospel singers, known for fixing them meals when they came through Bradford, Tennessee. Even in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, she would still respond to the family singing Gospel songs to her. The Quick family requests prayers.

Upcoming Reviews:

• October 28: Heaven’s Headlines (Keetons)
• October 31: DVD – Personal (Kim Collingsworth)
• November 4: Until Now (Gerald Wolfe) (and yes, that’s Election Day)
• November 7: Reminiscing (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 7: DVD – Live in Concert Kings Mountain, NC (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 11: A New Day (The Browns)
• November 14: DVD – Caribbean Live (Tribute Quartet)
• November 21: DVD – Hymn Sing 1 and 2 (Liberty Quartet)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)

As before, consider the comments section this week’s open thread. The readers of this blog—i.e., you—are pretty good about keeping threads on topic, but just in case someone has something to say that doesn’t fit on a recent thread, here’s your opening.

The 1983 vs. 2003 radio charts survey is still open. There are 164 responses so far—so far, so good! I’ll close the poll some time next week and post an analysis of the results (probably with the raw numbers if anyone wants them).

In the news:

• The Keetons have hired Jim Sheldon as their new baritone singer. Sheldon hails from Danville, KY and had previously sung with the Solid Rock Quartet, the Cokers, and Calvary’s Hill Quartet. Dan Keeton said: “After such an extensive search, it’s refreshing to find someone with a heart like Jim. We’ve tried him out on the folks and people have over-whelming approved! We are honored to have him with The Keetons.”
• I see I’m not alone: Adam Edwards also gives Cross 4 Crowns’ major-label debut 5 of 5 stars.

Here are reviews to look for in the coming weeks (dates subject to change, as I do have several left to write):

• October 14: The First 25 Years (Phil Cross and Friends)
• October 17: DVD – Live at Freedom Hall (Perrys)
• October 21: Live From the Alabama Theatre (Kingsmen)
• October 24: DVD – Your Ticket to Music Hall (Collingsworth Family)
• October 28: Heaven’s Headlines (Keetons)
• October 31: DVD – Personal (Kim Collingsworth)
• November 4: Until Now (Gerald Wolfe) (and yes, that’s Election Day)
• November 7: Reminiscing (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 7: DVD – Live in Concert Kings Mountain, NC (Chuck Wagon Gang)
• November 11: A New Day (The Browns)
• November 14: DVD – Caribbean Live (Tribute Quartet)
• November 21: DVD – Hymn Sing 1 and 2 (Liberty Quartet)
• November 28: DVD – Live (Mike LeFevre Quartet)
• December 5: A Classic Canaan Christmas (Various Artists)
• December 12: December (Mercy’s Well)
• December 19: Destination Heaven (Melody Boys Quartet)
• December 26: Ain’t Nobody (Soul’d Out Quartet)
• January 2: Easier to Live (Voices Won)

Finally, consider the comments section an open thread. I figure if I open this up once a week, perhaps we can do a little better keeping the rest of the threads on topic.

Does the quality of a Southern Gospel concert affect the amount you put in the love offering? Do you give more if you thought the group was really good, and less if you thought it was a lousy performance? Or do you always give a set amount?

Since my posting over the Thanksgiving holiday will be light, I thought I’d start this open thread to carry discussion forward until next Monday.

Here is a question to get things started. The current subtitle for this blog is “Beyond the Headlines: Southern Gospel News and Analysis.”  For most of a year, I’ve been wondering if that was the best possible subtitle. Any suggestions?

As always, since this is an open thread, feel free to comment on other topics as well!

Since a friend suggested this, and since I’ll be out for the day at another seminar, I decided to start an open thread posing this question: Is it wrong for one group to borrow another group’s arrangement of a song without giving credit or paying royalties?

Does it make any difference if the group has retired (even if their arrangements are still under copyright)?

Does it make any difference if the two groups had the same producer, and it was the producer’s call?